In 1932, the supercharged SJ debuted. With 320 horses on tap, what could be more appealing than a short-wheelbase Speedster? Even actor Clark Gable couldn’t resist its allure.

Only two 1936 Duesenberg SSJ Speedsters were built: one for Clark Gable, the other for Gary Cooper. Riding a 125-inch wheelbase, 17-1/2 inches shorter than a standard Duesie, the SSJ Speedsters sported a lightweight open-roadster body produced by Central Manufacturing Company, an Auburn subsidiary in Connersville, Indiana.

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The dashboard of the 1936 Duesenberg SSJ Speedster carried an array of instruments, including a tachometer and an altimeter gauge.

Features of these 1936 models included the older-style open fenders, 17-inch wheels, and Duesenberg’s famed vertical-bar grille. The cockpit was cozy for two, but the dashboard carried comprehensive instrumentation, even a tachometer and an altimeter gauge. Note the five chrome strips on the rear fenders, a complement to the trim on the running boards.

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The 1936 Duesenberg SSJ Speedster's engine was a 420-cubic-inch straight eight featuring dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder.

The heart of the SSJ Speedster was the 420-cubic-inch straight eight engine. It featured dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. With the centrifugal-type supercharger, 320 horsepower was on tap.

According to one ad, “This supercharged Duesenberg will throttle down to three miles per hour and will accelerate from a standing start to 100 miles per hour in twenty seconds.” Top speed was a claimed 130 in high gear, 104 in second (in a phaeton with the top down).

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An external spare tire decorated the rear of the 1936 Duesenberg SSJ Speedster.

The blown Duesie was also “as quiet as the famous Model J, with the exception of a pleasant soft singing of the supercharger. . . .” At the rear, the 1936 Duesenberg SSJ Speedster sported an external spare tire and smaller “later-style” round taillights. The external exhaust pipes sprouting out of the hood shouted “supercharged,” but were optional on J models as well.

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An eagle nameplate graced the hood of the 1936 Duesenberg SSJ Speedster.